Independence group to establish union against ‘one China’

By Chris Wang / Staff reporter

An advocacy group focusing on opposition to the so-called “one China” principle and the erosion of Taiwan’s sovereignty under President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration is set to be established on Monday, the group’s founding members told a press conference yesterday.

“However, the Ma administration’s pro-Beijing stance and the DPP’s failure to monitor the administration and its tendency to move to a more China-friendly position have aroused concern over the gradual erosion of sovereignty,” Chen said.

Chai will serve as the president of the union, with Chen and Hsu as vice presidents, Hsu said, adding that other notable members include former premier Yu Shyi-kun (游錫堃) and former Examination Yuan president Yao Chia-wen (姚嘉文). Former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and former presidential adviser Peng Ming-min (彭明敏) are to serve as consultants.

Chai and Chen criticized former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) for his “pro-Beijing position.”

Responding to the criticism yesterday afternoon in a radio interview with Cheng Hong-yi (鄭弘儀), Hsieh denied that he “had betrayed Taiwan’s independence movement” and said that “closer engagement with China did not mean surrender.”

Hsieh, who advocates a moderate China policy with his initiative of “constitutions with different interpretations,” described himself as a “pragmatic idealist” and very different from the “hardliners” of the pro-independence wing, such as Chai and Chen.

“They insist on their belief, while I’m an idealist who focuses on reality. We should work together to strive for Taiwan’s dignity,” Hsieh said.